Led by Sheila Jackson Lee, who has done this every year since Obama took office, including last year when she had to physically sit there the entire day.

Via Politico:

Several members of Congress have already shown up to reserve seats in the Chamber hours ahead of President Barack Obama’s speech — despite an explicit message from House Speaker John Boehner not to do so.

“As has been the practice in the past, members will not be allowed to reserve seats prior to the joint session by placement of placards or personal items,” the speaker’s office wrote in an email earlier today. “Chamber Security may remove these items from the seats.”

But some lawmakers — most notably perennial early-arriver Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), who arrived at 8:30 a.m., according to CNN — have already arrived to reserve seats along the aisle to get a fist-bump or quick chat from the president as he enters the chamber.

Other lawmakers who have reserved seats, include Reps. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, Marcia Fudge of Ohio, Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri and Steve Cohen of Tennessee, according to CNN.

More from The Hill:

The center aisle seats are the most desirable during the State of the Union because members can shake the president’s hand as he makes his way to the podium on live national television. That often plays well for lawmakers back home in their districts, especially if the president is from their own party.

At least nine seats were taken by late afternoon. Most lawmakers milling around the House chamber were Democrats, including Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas), Elijah Cummings (Md.), Steve Cohen (Tenn.), Marcia Fudge (Ohio) and Karen Bass (Calif.).